**Trigger Warning: This week’s topic is heavy but necessary for believers to confront.**
In our lives, we are surrounded by many things, whether great or small, that can become an idol. But as believers, the Word clearly instructs us to flee idolatry. We are not to coddle or give in to it, but rather, flee from it. Idolatry is defined as (1) the worship of idols or (2) extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone. An idol is (1) an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship or (2) a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered. By applying the Word and knowing what is considered an idol, we are able to identify any idols in our lives and discuss how to remove them. In the Old Testament, there are numerous accounts of the Israelites being warned about idolatry. Examining Exodus 32 helps us to comprehend the historical context. This passage provides a detailed record of the Israelites straying away from the Most High and going into idolatry, making, and worshipping a golden calf.
The text shows us how quickly the Israelites corrupted their ways and how idolatry had dire consequences. While Moses was communing with God and receiving the ten commandments on Mount Sinai, the Israelites had grown impatient with their leader’s absence and thought something had happened to him. Instead of seeking God and praying, the people came to Aaron, the priest telling him to make them gods, which would lead them. Aaron obliged to their demands. He told them to break off their golden earrings and bring them to him. The Israelites did as they were instructed. With the golden earrings and a graving tool, Aaron made a molten calf. Those whose way was corrupted and wanted the idol declared to the assembly that the molten calf was the gods who brought them out of Egypt. That’s crazy, right, but that’s not the half of it.
Aaron further erred in his way by building an altar for the idol and proclaiming a feast be held the next day to (YAH) the LORD. Aaron, the Levite, the priest of Yahweh, decides to go along with the wickedness of the people adding to it rather than stand up for righteousness. On that day, the people rose early, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings. They ate, drank, and worshipped before the idol. While the Israelites are worshipping the idol, Yah informs Moses of the happenings and instructs him to go back to the camp. In Yah’s wrath, He sought to consume the Israelites for their sin. Moses pleads to God on behalf of the people and to remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. God changes His mind and does not allow His wrath to consume the people. Moses goes down from the mount with the 10 commandments written by God on tablets of stone.
Joshua alerts Moses that he hears a noise in the camp: the sound of war. Moses tells him it is the sound of singing that they hear. As Moses approaches the camp, he sees the golden calf and the people dancing. While their leader had been spending time with the Most High, the people were celebrating an idol. Burning hot with anger, he throws down the tablets of stone, breaking them at the bottom of the mount. Furthermore, he takes the calf, burns it in the fire, and grounds it into a powder. Afterward, he scatters it in the water and makes the children of Israel drink it. Moses questions Aaron about the wickedness that has been done. Aaron makes excuses about why he gave in to the demands of the people instead of taking ownership of his role in the matter.
Moses makes a distinction within the camp. While at the gate of the camp, he says, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Let him come unto me.” All the sons of Levi gather together with Moses. The Levites are given orders to slay every man–his brother, companion, and neighbor. It results in 3,000 men being killed. After the slaying, Moses instructs the men to consecrate themselves to Yah that He lay upon them a blessing. Moses returns to Yah and pleads on behalf of the people. Yahweh’s response was that whoever had sinned against Him, their names would be blotted out of His book. He instructs Moses to return to the people and continue leading them toward the Promised Land. He reassured Moses that His Angel would go before him. Yah made it known that when He came to see the people, they would face consequences because of their sin. As a result of making the calf, He plagued the people.
This example shows us that idolatry is nothing to play with or be casual about. We must completely remove it from our lives. As I mentioned in the previous post, God is a jealous God. We can not serve and worship other gods. We can not make graven images, bow down, and serve them. It will bring the wrath of God because He has no tolerance for idolatry. We are required to follow His ways. As His children, we are to love and serve Him with all our heart and soul. To give us an understanding of how idolatry shows up in our lives presently, I will discuss six types of idolatry. They include: entertainment, social media, self, relational, organizational, and religious. Because this topic is very weighty, I will separate it into two parts. Today, I will discuss the first three types, and the remaining will be discussed next week.
Entertainment Idolatry
In society, there are many things fighting for our attention. One major area is entertainment. This can become an idol in our lives when we are overly consumed with having fun or being entertained. I am not saying you should live a life completely void of fun or not do things you enjoy. But we can become too focused on living an entertainment driven life. We are engrossed in a cycle of constantly receiving entertainment. If we prioritize fun or being entertained over time with God, we are out of alignment. If we show our children it’s okay to spend hours and hours on video games but barely in the Word we have a problem.
As a family, when we spend an hour and a half or two hours watching a movie, but collectively, never come together to read and study the Word that is an issue. We have to examine what we prioritize. On weekends, do we spend our Saturdays attending sporting events but never think to spend time in the Word? Are we busy running from one event to the next? When we stay home on Saturdays, are we spending all our time binge watching our favorite TV shows?
In our lives, it matters what we are receiving. If we find ourselves overly consumed with entertainment, we need to realign our priorities. Constantly taking in movies and TV shows only feeds our flesh. It does nothing to build up our spirit. We can not allow entertainment to be an idol robbing us of our time with God and studying His Word. We should not allow our lives to be driven by fun and entertainment. To become more mature in our faith, we have to deny ourselves those moments of entertainment to seek God and simply commune with Him.
Social Media Idolatry
The next type of idolatry is social media. It has a purpose and place in our lives; but it needs to be used responsibly. We must check within ourselves to see if we are living for the likes and shares of others. Are we consumed with the affirmation and approval of others rather than God? It is important to have awareness if social media does more good or harm in our lives. We can not be a people who live with a FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) mindset. As believers, we should not be invested with the trivial things of the world. It is good to have an awareness of important matters. But it crosses the line when we are fully invested in staying up-to-date with every SM challenge or the lives of people who don’t even know we exist. With that, we put ourselves in danger of idolizing the celebrities, influencers, or whomever else we follow.
Social media has become an idol when we become wrapped up in the lives of complete strangers, believing the online façade that influencers display to the world. Everything that is presented before us is not genuine. Much of what we see is the person’s online persona. We need to live in reality, not in the world of social media. The same effort we give in staying up-to-date on people’s lives, we should put into our relationship with God. If we are continually receiving from social media but rarely from the Word, our spirit is weakened. The constant scrolling does nothing to build up our spirit. So, if you find yourself in the cycle of scrolling, liking, and sharing, take some time away from it. Devote the time you would spend on SM to studying the Word.
Self Idolatry
The third type of idolatry is self idolatry. This is not to be mistaken for confidence. As believers, we should have confidence, but we should not be full of ourselves: our image, our importance, or our achievements. Self idolatry is defined as extravagant admiration for or devotion to oneself: self-worship. This area encompasses vanity: excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements. To ensure we understand the severity of it, some synonyms are self-conceit, pridefulness, egotism, and vainglory. This particular idolatry can be witnessed in the online content that people share of themselves.
Social media plays an important role in illuminating self-idolatry in people’s lives. Self-idolatry can cause us to post content, hoping we attract a particular response from our followers or friends. At times, those posts can send a conflicting message to the viewer. Some things are not for public consumption and need to remain private. As believers, we need to exercise discretion and discernment. We must have an inward understanding of why we post content online. It all serves a purpose.
Regardless of the setting, in real life or online, we must be mindful of how we present ourselves. No matter the setting, we are Christ representatives. We should consider if the way we carry ourselves is glorifying to the Father. If an unbeliever were to meet us in person or interact with us online, would they be able to identify that we are a child of God, or would they be confused? We must be aware that we do not just represent ourselves, and any self-idolatry must be removed from our lives. We can not make ourselves gods desiring to receive affirmation and glorification from man. That belongs to Yah, He alone is God. Pride needs to be stripped from our lives, and we are to walk in humility before God and man.
Recap: Types of Idolatry
- Entertainment
- Social Media
- Self
- Relational
- Organizational
- Religious
Put It into Practice
Reflect on the three types of idolatry discussed. Take some time to allow the Holy Spirit to show you any areas where idolatry has shown up in your life. Don’t resist the correction, but submit to it. Make the necessary changes as led by the Holy Spirit.
Next Week’s Discussion
